Rhythmic gene expression in pituitary depends on heterologous sensitization by the neurohormone melatonin
von Gall, Charlotte ; Garabette, Martine L. ; Kell, Christian A. ; Frenzel, Sascha ; Dehghani, Faramarz ; Schumm-Draeger, Petra-Maria ; Weaver, David R. ; Korf, Horst-Werner ; Hastings, Michael H. ; Stehle, Jorg H.
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Keywords
Animals
Biological Clocks
Cell Cycle Proteins
Circadian Rhythm
Cricetinae
Cyclic AMP
Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein
Gene Expression Regulation
In Situ Hybridization
Male
Melatonin
Mice
Mice, Inbred C3H
Neurons
Nuclear Proteins
Period Circadian Proteins
Phodopus
Pineal Gland
Pituitary Gland, Posterior
Receptor, Adenosine A2B
Receptors, Cell Surface
Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear
Receptors, Melatonin
Receptors, Purinergic P1
Signal Transduction
Neuroscience and Neurobiology
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Abstract
In mammals, many daily cycles are driven by a central circadian clock, which is based on the cell-autonomous rhythmic expression of clock genes. It is not clear, however, how peripheral cells are able to interpret the rhythmic signals disseminated from this central oscillator. Here we show that cycling expression of the clock gene Period1 in rodent pituitary cells depends on the heterologous sensitization of the adenosine A2b receptor, which occurs through the nocturnal activation of melatonin mt1 receptors. Eliminating the impact of the neurohormone melatonin simultaneously suppresses the expression of Period1 and evokes an increase in the release of pituitary prolactin. Our findings expose a mechanism by which two convergent signals interact within a temporal dimension to establish high-amplitude, precise and robust cycles of gene expression.
Source
Nat Neurosci. 2002 Mar;5(3):234-8. Link to article on publisher's site